Rangatahi given mic on climate change

Taya Bjerring and Savanna McBain from Paeroa College.

Waikato youth will return to school for the new term feeling inspired and empowered to take action after attending a climate camp held by Waikato Regional Council.

The camp, which took place at Pirongia Forest Park Lodge over two days before the Easter break, connected the students with practitioners, educators and youth leaders in climate change.

Guest speakers included Sophie Handford, who founded School Strike 4 Climate Change in Aotearoa NZ and went on to become the country’s youngest councillor at the age of 18; the council’s Regional Resilience Team Leader, Rick Liefting, who spoke about understanding the impacts of climate change; Transport and Infrastructure Senior Policy Advisor Julie Hansen, who spoke about making transport emissions reductions at a regional scale; University of Waikato’s Dean of Science, Professor Margaret Barbour, who spoke about the new Bachelor of Climate Change qualification; and Te Aroha College student Seth Seerup, who joined the youth-led forum Rangitahi Voices after attending last year’s inaugural Climate Camp.

Sophie Handford, who holds the Climate and Youth portfolio at Kāpiti Coast District Council and connected with the students virtually, said the engagement by the students, their questions and energy brought her “hope and showcased so much opportunity for how our world could look if climate justice guided us all”.

“Young people are not just leaders of tomorrow, but of today, and it’s time we made space for that and passed the mic,” says Sophie.

“Based on the questions they asked, they’re keen to be sitting around the tables of influence; they’re more than ready and capable. As rangatahi, we have so much at stake – it’s our future that’s being created now.”

Letitia Taylor and Seth Seerup, from Rangatahi Voices, helped students workshop ideas about climate actions they could implement in their school.

Fifteen students from three high schools (Paeroa College, Tauhara College and Cambridge High School) took part in the camp, with attendance impacted by school strikes.

With help from Seth Seerup and Letitia Taylor from Rangatahi Voices, the students workshopped ideas about climate actions that they could take back to implement in their schools.

Waikato Regional Council Senior Education Advisor Michelle Dally says the students were asked to consider, from all they had heard over the two days, what they felt most passionate about and what they could do to implement change for the better in their school.

“The takebacks included encouraging greater participation by youth in school politics, planting native trees, reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, and encouraging walking and cycling to school.”

The students from each school started developing a plan that their Enviroschools facilitator will help them to implement.

Paeroa College student Kylie Harris and Enviroschools facilitator Ruairi Kelly.

“The camp is designed to be the beginning, not the end, of their learning, so we’ll be seeing more of them and helping them along the way” says Michelle.

“Connection is important to keep momentum going; not being alone with the really big issue that is climate change. We’re there to make their lives easier and help them connect with other like-minded schools so they can share their cool solutions.

“Then maybe one of them will become the next Sophie Handford, or Helen Clark speaking to the United Nations, inspiring everyone about how they became to be on their journey.”

Ayla Montgomerie, from Cambridge High School, says the camp made her feel educated, aware and thought provoked, especially “knowing that there are loads of people wanting to help us and educate us and that even the smallest change can help reduce the negative impacts of climate change”.

Banner image: from left, Anna Reid-Jones, Rachael Atkins, Stevie Manunui and Molly Dykseul from Tauhara College.